Social media has, unsurprisingly, grown to become one of the most popular forms of communication today. As such, it is also a key factor in helping companies succeed and thrive. Not only is it a way for companies to share their activities and initiatives, social media is most importantly a way to connect with customers while building both thought leadership and new audiences.

Trulia hosted a wonderful webinar last week that touched on the continued importance of social media and took a look at emerging trends in 2015.

Here are the 5 social media trends we took away from this insightful webinar session:

• Real Time Marketing Goes Big. It is important to figure out what people are talking about in real time and post accordingly. Doing this shows how broader topics and stories apply to your smaller audiences, as well as showcasing areas that you are interested in. Examples of this that Trulia gave were Ellen DeGeneres Oscar selfie and Arby’s Twitter comment to Pharrell’s hat during the 2014 Grammys.

• Mobile Marketing Continues to Soar. The prevalence of smartphones will continue in 2015 with Facebook noting it has 189 million users that are mobile only and apps like Instagram designed specifically for the cameras living in everyone’s pocket. That being said, it is important to produce content that is specifically oriented for your mobile-only users, as they are essentially a completely different audience.

• Prepare to Pay. Twitter, Facebook, Google Analytics and other platforms are starting to charge their users to better view and obtain more advanced metrics. Viewing your company’s metrics allows you to see what works and what doesn’t. By paying you’re also getting more than just advanced metrics, you’re also gaining larger audiences and more traction.

• Audio and Video are Critical. Adding videos to your email newsletters, posting more pictures to Facebook, and sharing viral video links on Twitter will help you gain more followers. Consumers want to see what your company is actually doing and talking about. Remember that it’s important to make sure your images and videos are well thought out and actually highlight your content.

• Sharing Expertise, Relationship Building, and Finding New Customers. This is what social media is all about, but it is important to note that you should only focus on one or two of these areas at a time. It is also important to remember to focus on social media platforms that you enjoy using and are most comfortable working with. If you’re posting to platforms you aren’t comfortable with it will be difficult to understand the metrics, connect with the audience, or gain new customers.

Social media is showing no signs of slowing down. Implementing new strategies to address these trends will help you take your brand or business to the next level. Which of these approaches do you plan to implement ?Have you already applied any to your social media marketing strategy? Let us know in the comments below or just contact us!

Related Articles:

• The Hottest Social Media Trends of 2015: Mastering the New World
• Ellen’s Oscar Selfie Most Retweeted Tweet Ever
• Arby’s Slayed the Grammys With This Tweet About Pharrell Williams’ Hat